Do not celebrate early, Mourinho said after this victory over West Bromwich Albion, which reduced City’s advantage at the top back to 11 points; and we are still one game short of half-way through the Premier League campaign.

But that fact is giving Mourinho motivation. And he is using it to motivate his players. There is, the gathering theme appears to be, a long way to go with the inference being that we, the media, and also City themselves, maybe, have started those celebrations far too early.

Titles are not won in December but they can be lost then and the fact that United have responded to the adversity of losing the Manchester derby with two narrow victories will give Mourinho a shot of satisfaction. However that will be tempered slightly by yet another injury with captain Antonio Valencia hobbling off with an apparently damaged hamstring.

The truth is that United did not play well in the midweek win over Bournemouth and were not substantially better here, and it will not please him that his team were reduced to time-wasting – leading to bookings for Nemanja Matic and Marcos Rojo – and running the ball into the corner, by Anthony Martial, as they ran down the clock.

That followed an unlikely late rally from Albion, who were far better in the second-half, after a limp performance that will have certainly concerned Alan Pardew. The Baggies are still waiting for the bounce but, at least, they scored – the first goal under their new manager in his fourth game in charge – and they also had a strong claim for a penalty when Ashley Young barged James McClean into United goalkeeper David De Gea. That could have salvaged an unlikely but precious point.

Jesse Lingard doubles United's lead with a deflected shot from distanceCredit:
Reuters

Instead the result pushes second-placed United onto 41 points, 10 ahead of seventh-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who finished last season as runners-up and 17 points ahead of them which is clear evidence of substantial progress under Mourinho. The frustration for him, and United, is the re-definition of the campaign by Pep Guardiola’s City who are frankly playing football on a different plane from the rest of the league at present.

And United laboured. It was far from fluid and yet they ended the first period two goals up and apparently game over. Until they scored it was turgidly inconsequential, in truth, but then

Oliver Burke, not for the first time, and on his first league start for Albion, sloppily lost possession and Juan Mata pushed the ball out wide to Marcus Rashford who shifted it back onto his right foot and crossed for Lukaku to rise in between Jonny Evans and Kieran Gibbs – why was the latter marking such a hulking striker? – and power a superb header beyond Ben Foster and high into the net.

Cue, again, the debate over whether or not Lukaku can only do it against the lesser teams as that was his 31st goal in 39 matches against the ‘non-big-six’ sides. Lukaku did not celebrate – just as he had not celebrated his headed goal against Bournemouth – and while that may have partly been about, in this case, respect for the club where he spent a successful season on loan it also appeared more than that. It appeared, despite Mourinho saying it was because he had not celebrated either, a pointed message to the critics which is a little misguided although his manager will not care. Maybe he is fuelling that sense of injustice.

Gareth Barry pokes home from a few yards to get West Brom back into itCredit:
Getty Images

United turned the screw. Matic fed the ball in to Lukaku who found Mata who laid it off to Jesse Lingard and his low shot would have been covered by Foster only for Ahmed Hegazi to try and block with the ball spinning off his boot to wrong-foot the goalkeeper. Albion were out of luck and United appeared out of sight.

Pardew withdrew Claudio Yacob at half-time, bringing on 36-year-old Gareth Barry, and it made a difference as did his later substitutions – with Jay Rodriguez and Chris Brunt also coming on. Suddenly there was a bit more urgency and aggression, which rose even further when they eventually switched to a more direct 4-4-2, and when a corner was won Brunt’s delivery caused panic in the United defence. Jonny Evans attempted to head home, the ball sailing over him and rebounding off Rodriguez. It flew back into a thicket of players with Barry calmly stroking it past De Gea from close-range.

The dynamic, as so often in the Premier League shifted, and Albion had unexpected belief. Suddenly, and for the first time, United were under pressure with Rodriguez reaching another Brunt cross only to bullet his header just wide with De Gea beaten. Then Barry had a shot blocked with Mourinho’s anxiety rising as the four minutes of added time ran into five.

So Albion remain in the bottom three, facing a fight against relegation, with their next fixture, away to Stoke City now taking on even greater importance given the plight of both clubs. United, after their Carabao Cup quarter-final against Bristol City on Wednesday, face Leicester City away. Mourinho will demand they do not relent, that they push City as much as they can in the hope that the champions-elect have been proclaimed far too early.

Four minutes added time

89 minutes

87 minutes

Very nearly a calamity from Rojo at the back post, skewing behind for a corner under no pressure. Brunt's delivery is perfect, evading De Gea and finding Evans at the back post. Matic does just about enough and the ball bounces almost across the line into De Gea's arms.

82 minutes

81 minutes

United inviting pressure through their own carelessness in possession. Gibbs swings a ball in, and Rodriguez attempts a ridiculously ambitious swivel and volley. Gets it on target, but would have been better off looking for a lay-off.

80 minutes

The game was drifting aimlessly, but now the crowd are up. Mix-up between Brunt and Gibbs lets United's defence have a breather. Mourinho was going to bring on Martial before the goal, and he stuck with that conviction.

GOAL! Barry - West Brom get one back

From the resulting corner, West Brom find their lifeline. Scruffy defending from United, Rojo gets beaten at the back post and the ball trickles across the six-yard box. It was begging to be tucked away and Gareth Barry was the man to stick his toe out and get his team back into this.

76 minutes

The away fans have been signing his name for a while, and Anthony Martial is ready to come on. Phil Jones slips in the United area which gives Rondon a yard to shoot, and it deflects behind for a West Brom corner.

73 minutes

Lazy forward play from Rondon not to get himself back onside. Much better moments later however, Hegazi steps out of defence and fires a risky vertical pass into Brunt who then feeds Rondon down the side's of United's centre backs. His left-foot shot is low and straight at De Gea.

66 minutes

64 minutes

Bad news for United fans, Antonio Valencia has gone down clutching his hamstring. No messing around, he pulled up straight away which probably rules him out of the rest of the Christmas period. Marcos Rojo replaces him, and Ashley Young switches to right-back. Luke Shaw ignored...

62 minutes

59 minutes

West Brom, to their credit, are taking chances here as they search for a way back into this. Both full-backs were committed forward and Lingard lead the United counter, exchanged passes with Lukaku before shooting straight at Foster from the edge of the area. That's what they did so well at Arsenal a few weeks ago.

57 minutes

United respond to that short flurry of West Brom pressure. Valencia swings in a cross and the ball sits up nicely for Rashford on the half-volley at the back post. Foster was rooted, but it flies just wide on the far post.

55 minutes

Good chance for West Brom. Barry lifts a well-weighted ball over Jones's head that Burke latches on to. He whips a brilliant first-time ball across the area taking Smalling out of the game but neither Rondon on McClean could apply the finishing touch.

52 minutes

Handbags at the Hawthorns. Hegazi found himself isolated with Rashford but holds him off, perhaps unlawfully. Rashford stayed down holding his face which angered the West Brom defender. Rashford then picks up and runs over to get under Hegazi's grill. Yellow card for the United man, and replays showed he went down very easily in the original incident.

49 minutes

West Brom trying to press high up the pitch, but their defence have not pushed up behind their midfield line leaving Lingard with acres of space to receive the ball and turn. He looks for Lukaku with a chipped cross but the Belgian was flagged offside.

Jesse Lingard celebrates United's second

Comfortable for United despite a slow start

Solid enough first-half performance by United, and the game has looked easy for them since Romelu Lukaku's opening goal. Until then, West Brom were doing well and United were struggling to zip the ball between the lines with Ander Herrera looking notably low on confidence.

Jay Rodriguez is an option on the bench for Alan Pardew, but it is some quality in cenrtral midfield West Brom really need and that will have to be addressed in January.

HT: WBA 0-2 United

44 minutes

42 minutes

McClean swings a cross over the bar and out for a goal kick. West Brom have tried hard, and it is east to see what that they came into the match with a plan. Conceding the first goal has rendered it obsolete however.

39 minutes

Matic drives United forward once again and wins a corner. West Brom are struggling to keep this game alive going into the second half. There is plenty of time remaining, they do not need to chase a goal before half time.

33 minutes

Panicked defending in the United area. Nyom does well to drive past Matic and swing a cross in that was only partially blocked by Smalling at the near post. Valencia was on hand to smash clear. Burke has been more influential in the last few minutes.

Lukaku's goal

GOAL! Lukaku - 1-0 United

A simple opening goal for Mourinho's side. Rashford whips in a cross from the left, and Lukaku holds off Gibbs on the six-yard line to glance home. Very little movement from Lukaku, the cross was delivered straight onto his head and he just had to direct it into the net.

24 minutes

West Brom take a free-kick short and a deflected shot goes behind for a corner. The delivery was too deep, and Evans can only loop a header over the bar. West Brom really need to maximise every situation like that, but they have been wasteful so far.

22 minutes

Another giveaway by Herrera and then West Brom pop it around him. Fine delivery from McClean but Jones did well to stoop and head clear under pressure from Rondon. A rare spell of possession for the hosts, but they almost look uncomfortable when they are asked to take the initiative and shift the ball.

No right side to Man Utd

19 minutes

Most of United's attacks have come down their left flank, but they are struggling to penetrate West Brom with neat interplay. Their best moments have come from long-balls over the top. Ander Herrera struggling to be productive in possession. What happened to him? He was a goalscoring midfielder at Athletic Bilbao, but has morphed into a water-carrier in England.

16 minutes

Lukaku's oft-criticised hold up play under the microscope again. He did well to hold Evans off but his flick back towards Lingard missed its target. At the other end, Rondon shows him how it's done with a lovely chest control and lay-off,.

14 minutes

These chilly afternoons are not particularly conducive to a good atmosphere, as fans sit on their hands to keep them warm. Danger at West Brom's back post as Young swings a cross in to where Lukaku had isolated Gibbs, but the former Arsenal man did really well to stay touch tight and win the header. You might recall van Gaal's United used Fellaini to that effect against Gibbs at the Emirates in November, 2014.

Little goalmouth action so far

10 minutes

West Brom's midfield is not the most progressive, it is fair to say. They are all staying behind the ball, and there is not really a good passer among them. Rondon is a ray of light, and looks like he could win a foot-race against Jones or Smalling but not much support for him.

8 minutes

Mata has been given the license to drift across the pitch, and he and Lingard are both operating in central positions behind Luakaku. Rashord starting in a fixed position from the left. United are playing without a right-winger essentially, leaving room for Antonio Valencia to maraud forward. West Brom have struggled to string three passes together, United doing all of the probing.

Until a wonderful Rondon backheel set McClean away on the counter-attack, but there was no West Brom player to meet his whipped cross.

4 minutes

Oliver Burke has started on the right, and is up against Ashley Young who is a right-footer at left-back. Driving on his weaker left-side might be the plan. A little better from West Brom there, but a diagonal pass skips through for a goal kick off the surface.

De Gea's long kick forward releases Rashford but his shot from an inside left position is blocked. Sunday league stuff really, Pardew will be worried about the ease with which one punt upfield cut them open.

2 minutes

Torrential rain this morning in the West Midlands. Far from being a leveller, the faster surface should suit United and they have already settled into a spell of possession. The pattern is set, with West Brom reluctant to press too high. They are retreating into their own half, reducing the space in behind their back four.

We're off

Sky have United in a 4-2-3-1 with Mata starting from the right flank. We'll see, but I fancy Rashford and Lukaku will play as more of a front two. The home side kick-off and we are under way. After two botched kick-offs...

Players are on their way out

Pardew going for stick rather than carrot

Alan Pardew has said Oliver Burke is in the team to scare United, and if he fails to do so he might not be on the pitch for too long. That's one way to build his confidence up. The former Crystal Palace manager talked up his abilities as a psychologist and he has got a history of getting a tune out of maverick wingers such as Matthew Etherington and Hatem Ben Arfa.

Why no Mkhitaryan?

Alan Pardew stiffens up his midfield

No four-four-effin-two from Pardiola today, with an industrious midfield three of Claudio Yacob, Grzegorz Krychowiak and Jake Livermore picked to stop United finding their rhythm. It is not the most mobile or athletic engine room though, so they have to avoid turnovers and giving United the chance to counter attack against them, particularly through Lingard.

Looking forward to watching Oliver Burke. His early departure from Nottingham Forest to RB Leipzig would have taught him much, but he left the Bundesliga in search of more regular football. He has outstanding physical attributes for a 20-year-old, and perhaps everyone - player included - needs to show a little more patience.

Jesse Lingard becoming one of Mourinho's reliables

Right then, what is going on with this United team? As Gary Neville points out from the gantry, their back five were all at the club under Sir Alex Fergurson: De Gea, Valencia, Jones, Smalling and Young.

The midfield three has a nice balance to it, with Nemanja Matic patrolling in front of the centre-backs, Ander Herrera in a box to box role and Juan Mata supplying the creativity.

The configuration of the front three will be interesting. Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford could play either side of Romelu Lukaku, or Lingard could play in behind the two forwards in more of a 4-3-1-2.

Mourinho speaks

I'm not making rotation, I'm not protecting the players for the matches that are coming up. I'm picking the team that is best to win this match.

Their stadium is always a difficult stadium because their crowd is so supportive and enthusiastic. Very experienced, very physical, capable to defend in numbers and being dangerous on direct football with Rondon and McClean.

Man Utd team: Jose Mourinho starts with a back four

Can Man Utd keep their place as the best of the rest?

Good afternoon and welcome to the latest instalment of the Premier League's race for second.

Manchester United travel to West Brom 14 points behind neighbours Manchester City, and cementing their status as top four certainties is a more realistic target for the Christmas period than reigniting a title race.

Jose Mourinho's side have a veneer of solidity, with five league victories either side of their derby defeat against City, but performances have not been so convincing. Two long-range Ashley Young goals gave them a two-goal lead from nothing at Watford, they defended desperately for long periods of their crucial win at Arsenal, and there was little more than a piece of cigarette paper separating them and Bournemouth in mid-week when once again David De Gea was relied upon.

The numbers suggest United cannot afford to keep giving up the volume of chances they are currently - Bournemouth had 14 shots on goal at Old Trafford, seven of them on target - and expect to keep winning. Eric Bailly has been sorely missed, as has Paul Pogba who serves the last of his three-match ban today.

Romelu Lukaku will line-up against his former club, for whom he scored a hat-trick against United in that crazy 5-5 draw that brought down the curtain on the Sir Alex Ferguson era. No Henrikh Mkhitaryan these days, who has been sent to Coventry by Mourinho since his limp performance at Stamford Bridge.

Alan Pardew promised to bring adventurous and expressive football to the Hawthorns, so naturally they are yet to score a goal under him. There have been some bold selections however, with Pardew fond of picking three strikers in the same XI, usually Jay Rodriguez, Salomon Rondon and Hal Robson-Kanu. The latter is asked to fill on the right flank when West Brom defend in a 4-4-2 shape. That doesn't look a natural fit, and United might look to focus their attacks down that flank where Anthony Martial likes to operate.